Ayurveda describes the aging process in reference to age i.e. with increase in age there is an effect on the skin as it changes at every stage of life and subsequently changes the appearance of the individual.

Childhood to adolescence and youth
At different stages of life the skin undergoes changes as its characteristics change with time. According to ayurveda a child's skin changes at puberty. The hormones present in the body are very much responsible for the texture of the skin and appearance. Sex hormones like Estrogen leads to a soft and smooth texture, however the skin becomes thicker than before and also more vascular. Also due to sex hormones the production of sebum increases from the skin's oil glands and this leads to acne.

Youth to old age
Besides aging sunrays also damage the skin, takes away texture and glow of the skin. With aging the dermis becomes thin while the epidermis becomes a little thinner. The loss of dermal thickness makes the skin of the elderly people paper-thin and the blood vessels beneath it become prominent.

It is noteworthy that aging and sunrays cannot be stopped form occurring and hence every person has to face it in life. In females the deficiency of estrogen during menopause makes the skin loose its smoothness and soft appearance. During youth the process of rejuvenation takes less time whereas with increase in age this process timing becomes longer and longer. As old age approaches the old cells tend to clump and the skin becomes rough and scaly in appearance.

The effects of ultraviolet rays
As said earlier sunrays cause damage to the skin and this is a causative factor, which is known but nothing can be done about it. Similarly ultra violet rays also harm the skin and in more severe manner than the other rays.

Ultra violet rays penetrate through the skin deeply, affect the dermis and damages blood vessels in the skin leading to prominently broken capillaries in the skin This way the dermis that determines whether skin is wrinkled or not is unable to do so and these changes in the elastic fibers and connective tissues in the dermis give an "aged" look to the living body.